Icy roads are blamed for dozens of accidents across N.J.

Robert Sciarrino/The Star-LedgerIce covers trees and pavement along Calais Road in Randolph after the last big ice storm.

Icy roads and highways kept State Troopers and police busy this morning responding to a flurry of traffic accidents across central New Jersey.

After a night of below-freezing temperatures, morning drivers from Warren to Monmouth counties encountered treacherous roads, causing vehicles to spin out of control and even overturn. But most of the accidents did not result in major injuries, police said.

State Police from the barracks in Perryville, Hunterdon County, responded to 10 accidents along Route 78 in the span of an hour, starting around 8 a.m., said State Police Sgt. Paul Sofhauser. Several cars were overturned due to black-ice conditions, but there were no serious injuries, Sofhauser said.

A Bernards police officer said the department had received reports of numerous ice-related accidents this morning.

“We’re just crazy right now with people driving and becoming emotional because it’s icy,” he said.

Multi-vehicle spin-outs occurred on Interstate 287 in Bernards, on Route 24 in Summit, and on Interstate 78 at Liberty Corner Road, State Police reported.

Similar conditions prevailed along Route 80 in Warren County, according to State Police. Troopers at the barracks in Hope responded to five accidents, all of them due to car sliding off the road on black ice. No one was seriously injured, police said.

At least seven ice-related accidents were reported in the town of Millburn starting from just before 10 a.m., said Millburn Police Lt. Peter Eakley. Stretches of JFK Parkway remain closed due to accidents and continuing ice conditions, Eakley said. In one incident on South Orange Avenue, a policeman was responding to an accident when another car slipped on the ice and struck the car and the officer, Eakly said. The officer suffered a minor hand injury.

By noon, salt trucks and warmer temperatures had melted away most of the ice, according to police.

But more precipitation and low temperatures are on the way, according to forecasts.

Rain is expected for northern New Jersey this afternoon and evening, said Mark DeLisi, meteorologist for National Weather Service. There’s a possibility that the precipitation will turn into snow in the evening, he said, but there wouldn’t be much accumulation.

Temperatures are forecasted to dip to the high 20s tonight, followed by a windy Sunday.

By Simone Sebastian/The Star-Ledger

The story has been updated to reflect that Route 80 through Hope is in Warren County.